Vision

In joining the emerging field of psychedelic science, the UCLA PSI will seek to understand how these powerful compounds affect the brain, with a focus on developing therapies and promoting well-being via novel psychedelic treatment models. Part of this vision includes building on prior achievements and the UCLA team’s own expertise. To this end, Dr. Grob will lead a soon-to-begin multisite clinical trial of psilocybin that will extend his 2011 work looking at the impact of guided psilocybin experiences on the psychological well-being of patients with life-threatening medical illness. The multiple sites will include Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and the Semel Institute, as well as the University of California, San Francisco; New York University, and others. It is UCLA’s hope that an adequately endowed and supported PSI will serve the university and its communities as a hub for conceiving, designing, and executing clinical trials of this kind, leveraging expertise and core services to optimize efficiency and to assure safe, responsible, high quality work.

Aims

The overall goal is to study the safety and efficacy of psychedelic compounds. To advance this initiative, specific aims for the PSI will include:

1. Expanding basic knowledge of how the drugs move through the body and what effect they have, as well as the basic mechanisms of the action of psychedelic substances (technically known as pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics). The objective is to inform the understanding of both the potentially therapeutic and adverse effects of these compounds.
2. Utilizing contemporary neuroimaging/neurophysiology techniques to understand the effects of psychedelic substances on brain function. These methods will show brain response to psychedelic exposure, help determine where in the brain they may work, and how they may affect regional brain function.
3. Conducting clinical trials if/when research establishes the efficacy and safety of these compounds. The trials will be available to all Californians, particularly diverse patient populations, who have not found therapeutic relief for conditions that include:
   • Substance use disorders (alcohol, tobacco, stimulants, opioids)
   • Anxiety disorders (PTSD, OCD, social anxiety, panic disorder)
   • Mood disorders FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE UCLA PSYCHEDELIC STUDIES INITIATIVE
   • Eating disorders
   • Disorders of inflammation
   • Existential demoralization
   • Pain
4. Improving the understanding of and disseminating scientific knowledge about psychedelics among health professionals, students, and the public. The objectives are to: 1) share scientific information gained from UCLA PSI investigations to help clinicians and medical students understand the benefits and adverse effects of these compounds; 2) share best practices; and 3) educate the wider public community about possible risks, benefits, and safety.

To achieve these and other aims, UCLA proposes creating three “core” functions within the initiative:

1. Core One: Basic/translational science (Aim 1 above)
2. Core Two: Clinical treatment science (Aims 2 and 3 above)
3. Core Three: Education/knowledge transfer (Aim 4 above)